Rate table normalization for overlapping ranges

In a rate table that contains a range parameter and any other parameter, the table may have ranges that overlap. For tables that fall within specified configuration parameters, PolicyCenter normalizes the rate table to speed up rate factor lookups. This rate table normalization removes the overlapping ranges by expanding the number of rows in the table. However, normalization uses more memory. Therefore, when you edit a normalized rate table, you can choose whether or not to normalize. Normalization does not change the rate table content that the user sees in Rate Table Content on the Rate Table screen. PolicyCenter creates the normalized table in memory only.

For example, a rate table has two parameters. The first parameter, age, is a range parameter. The second parameter is the jurisdiction. In a rate book, the rate table has the following values:

Row #	Minimum Age	Maximum Age	Jurisdiction	* Factor
1	1	5	California	1
2	3	6		2
3	5	8	Oregon	3

Note: In the user interface for rate table content, rate factor columns are marked with an asterisk (*).

Ages from 3 to 5 potentially match rows 1 or 2. Ages from 5 to 6 potentially match rows 2 and 3. To remove the range overlaps, the table is normalized in memory as follows:

Row #	Minimum Age	Maximum Age	Jurisdiction	* Factor
1	1	3	California	1
2	3	5	California	1
3	3	5		2
4	5	6		2
5	5	6	Oregon	3
8	6	8	Oregon	3

Note: This is not a realistic example of a rate table. For example, a null match would result for a child older than 8. A child of age 2 in a jurisdiction not California would also generate a null match.

Rate table normalization user interface

If you view a normalized rate table in PolicyCenter, the following message appears above the rate table:

This table contains overlapping ranges which creates internally normalized rows...

If you edit the table, you can choose to not normalize the rate table by selecting Reduce memory usage.